Course Title: Innovation Studio

Part A: Course Overview

Course Title: Innovation Studio

Credit Points: 24.00

Terms

Course Code

Campus

Career

School

Learning Mode

Teaching Period(s)

ARCH1421

City Campus

Postgraduate

320H Architecture & Urban Design

Face-to-Face

Sem 1 2014,
Sem 2 2014,
Sem 1 2015,
Sem 2 2015,
Sem 1 2016,
Sem 2 2016,
Sem 1 2017,
Sem 2 2017

ARCH1421

City Campus

Postgraduate

370H Design

Face-to-Face

Sem 1 2018,
Sem 2 2018,
Sem 1 2019,
Sem 2 2019,
Sem 1 2020,
Sem 2 2020,
Sem 2 2021,
Sem 1 2022,
Sem 2 2022,
Sem 1 2023,
Sem 2 2023,
Sem 1 2024

Course Coordinator: Lawrence Harvey

Course Coordinator Phone: Please email

Course Coordinator Email: lawrence.harvey@rmit.edu.au

Course Coordinator Location: Please email

Course Coordinator Availability: Please email


Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

None.


Course Description

Innovation Studio is part of the sequence of studios comprising the Design Innovation and Technology (DIT) program, including Technology Studio and Research Studio, and  Major Project A and B. The studio is central to the education and practice of a designer, and the core manner by which to develop technical, creative and communication skills. The Studio sequence cumulatively develops your approach and position to innovation and harnessing technology in design practice, and develops a keen understanding of the spatial, material, performative and economic dynamics of design, including performance feedback and novel approaches to materiality and digital fabrication.


Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

You will be assessed on your development of the following program learning outcomes: 

  • Master a body of knowledge of recent developments in design innovation and technologies, as well as in your area of professional practice.
  • Select and apply a range of digital and analogue techniques to modelling, analysis and representation in design, demonstrating expert judgment, independence and awareness of sustainability issues.
  • Work independently and in teams to originate design proposals and approaches in response to complex or wicked design challenges and hypotheses, rigorously theorizing both process and outcomes.
  • Construct an independent idiom integrating design and technology.
  • Provide leadership as well as collaborate with other specialists and key stakeholders on design problems on multi-disciplinary projects in diverse settings.
  • Articulate complex design ideas to diverse audiences through an advanced and adaptable repertoire of communication strategies and technologies.
  • Generate innovative approaches to design problems and solutions, with a criticality and openness to unfamiliar and novel concepts and methodologies.
  • Use appropriate research methods to design and execute complex projects, evaluate the outcome and theorize about the contribution of your learning to the profession and knowledge area.


Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to:

  1. Apply advanced design skills to generate and evaluate complex design objectives, questions and sub-systems, working from an open-ended design challenge
  2. Apply design skills and deploy novel industry-focused techniques, processes and approaches to produce families of design solutions addressing questions of performance, materiality and responsiveness.
  3. Innovatively synthesise complex design issues, information, programmatic and technical requirements meeting real-world constrints, leading to prototypic design solutions. 
  4. Present, argue and critique individual and collaborative design system proposals haptically, visually, verbally and textually, to multidisciplinary peers, academics, professional and public audiences.
  5. Critically and creatively apply a number of research strategies and evaluate the quantitative and qualitative of sustainable design practice for multidisciplinary audiences.
  6. Work collaboratively and across disciplines to produce applicable design research for innovation in future design practice


Overview of Learning Activities

You will be engaged in learning that involves a range of activities including:

  • Independent and collaborative design
  • Producing visual and verbal presentations of design work
  • Fabrication of physical, digital and combined models or other representative materials
  • Interaction with partners from practice and industry
  • Attendance at lectures and public events as related to the project


Overview of Learning Resources

RMIT will provide you with resources and tools for learning in this course through our online systems.

To effectively participate in coursework it is advisable that you have an appropriate personal computer or laptop computer capable of running such educational modelling software as Rhino 3D, Digital Project, etc. this will include running Bootcamp on an Apple macbook.

You are also recommended to have drawing supplies and basic prototyping equipment such as protective eye-ware, ear plugs, dust jacket, closed toe or safety shoes, steel ruler, craft knife etc.

You will also be expected to seek further resources relevant to the focus of your own learning.

You will have access to and will utilize the School of Architecture and Design Workshop facilities and access to computer labs with specialist software and printing facilities.

RMIT Swanston Library has extensive resources for Design Students


Overview of Assessment

You will be assessed on how well you meet the course’s learning outcomes and on your development against the program learning outcomes. Assessment tasks may include design project presentations, research reports, visualisations, design prototypes, design system prototypes, design project documentation and conduct.

Assessment will cover both theoretical and practical aspects of your learning. You will develop your work in relation to your own specific areas of interest in your professional practice and design research.

Summative feedback will be given on all assessment tasks and may be delivered in a variety of forms including critique panels, audio or video recordings and written reports. Additionally you will receive ongoing formative feedback as you progress through the course from academic staff and from your peers in view of continuous improvement and greater degrees of reflectivity on your own learning.

If you have a long term medical condition and/or disability it may be possible to negotiate to vary aspects of the learning or assessment methods. You can contact the program coordinator or the Equitable Learning Services if you would like to find out more.

Your course assessment conforms to RMIT assessment principles, regulations, policies and procedures: https://www.rmit.edu.au/students/student-essentials/assessment-and-exams

The Student Charter provides an overview of key responsibilities of RMIT Staff and Students to ensure a successful experience of university life. https://www.rmit.edu.au/students/student-essentials/rights-and-responsibilities/student-responsibilities